NEWSLETTER SEPTEMBER - DECEMBER 2020 VBC NEWS NOBEL PRIZE FOR CHEMISTRY 2020 The 2020 Nobel Prize for Chemistry was awarded to Emmanuelle Char- pentier and Jennifer Doudna for their groundbreaking discoveries on the CRISPR/Cas9 system. Emmanuelle Charpentier was a principal investigator at the Max Perutz Labs at the University of Vienna from 2002 to 2009, where she laid the groundwork for developing the technology. MORE COVID TESTING OVER CHRISTMAS December 2020 January 2021 21 22 23* 24 25 26 27 28 29 30* 31 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Testing (submit your sample by 10am) *more info will follow in a separate email no testing (holiday/weekend) no testing (workday) NEWSLETTER SEPTEMBER - DECEMBER 2020 RESEARCH INSTITUTES‘ NEWS INSTITUTE OF MOLECULAR PATHOLOGY ERC STARTING GRANT AWARDED TO CLEMENS PLASCHKA The European Research Council (ERC) has selected IMP group leader Clemens Plaschka‘s research for funding under the Horizon 2020 Excellent Science scheme. His project studying the mechanism of messenger RNA packaging and export will be supported with 1.5 million Euro through a Starting Grant over the next five years. MORE PREIS DER STADT WIEN FORMER IMP DEPUTY DIREC- TOR MEINRAD BUSSLINGER In the field of mathematics, informatics, science and technology, the IMP immunologist and deputy director Meinrad Busslinger was chosen as the laureate of 2020. Since 1947, the City of Vienna honours residents distinguished in a range of disciplines with the “Preis der Stadt Wien” awards for their life achievements. MORE IMP IMAGE VIDEO CELEBRATES CURIOSITY A new video of the IMP twists the idea of an image film: rather than presenting the institution, the IMP serves merely as scenery for the essential driver behind the institute - curiosity. Two fictional pursuits of intellectual breakthroughs are interwoven to highlight the IMP as a place that enables scientists to harness their curiosity and make good use of it. MORE NEWSLETTER SEPTEMBER - DECEMBER 2020 INSTITUTE OF MOLECULAR BIOTECHNOLOGY AUSTRIA GENETIC SCREENING TOOL FOR HUMAN ORGANOIDS Researchers from the laboratory of Jürgen Knoblich at IMBA – Institute of Molecular Biotechnology of the Austrian Academy of Sciences – developed CRISPR-LICHT, a revolutionary technology that allows genetic Immunofluorescence brain organoid with stem cells in screens in human tissues such as brain red, neurons in green and nuclei in blue. organoids. MORE RABITSCH AWARD 2020 Merve Deniz Abdusselamoglu, alumna from Jürgen Knoblich’s lab at IMBA, is awarded the Kirsten Peter Rabitsch Award for the best PhD thesis at IMP and IMBA. NEW SARS-COV-2 TEST „MADE IN VIENNA“ Scientists from the Vienna BioCenter developed a new SARS-CoV-2 detection method: by rather simple means, their RT- LAMP test is cheaper than PCR testing and achieves results with comparable sensitivity Vials with samples after the colour change show positive and specificity. (yellow) or negative (red) test results. MORE IMP-IMBA INTER-INSTITUTIO- NAL CONTRIBUTIONS TO VCDI Since spring, mixed teams of IMP and IMBA scientists have worked on the development of innovative testing strategies and approaches. Results from this endeavour are now precipitating in publications and media interest. Especially monitoring regimes developed with contributions by Johannes Zuber, RT- LAMP protocols steered by Julius Brennecke and Andrea Pauli, and an NGS technique developed by Ulrich Elling, Luisa Cochella, and Alexander Stark met a strong echo in both scientific and public community. MORE NEWSLETTER SEPTEMBER - DECEMBER 2020 MAX PERUTZ LABS NOBEL PRIZE FOR CALCIUM CAUSES CHEMISTRY 2020 STIFF JOINTS IN The 2020 Nobel Prize for Chemistry was α-ACTININ awarded to Emmanuelle Charpentier and Jennifer Doudna for their groundbrea- In a publication in PNAS, the Djinovic Lab king discoveries on the CRISPR/Cas9 sys- has revealed the molecular structure of a tem. Emmanuelle Charpentier was a prin- calcium-regulated form of α-actinin, with cipal investigator at the Max Perutz Labs implications for human forms of the protein, at the University of Vienna from 2002 to as well as amoebic dysentery caused by E. 2009, where she laid the groundwork for histolytica. developing the technology. MORE WHAT IS THE “NO SERVICE!” ORIGIN OF THE HOW VACCINIA VIRUS JAMS GENETIC CODE? IMMUNE SIGNALING Bojan Zagrovic and his collaborators will be New research from the lab of Tim Skern in supported by the Volkswagen Foundation “Structure” shows how the vaccinia virus to test the mRNA-protein complementarity protein A46 disrupts host immune signaling hypothesis, a novel and still controversial by jamming the cellular transmission chain. idea that could help explain the origin of the universal genetic code. MORE MORE NEWSLETTER SEPTEMBER - DECEMBER 2020 MAX PERUTZ LABS (CONT.) NEWS FROM THE MARTENS LAB AUTOPHAGY: THE BEGINNING ASAP GRANT FOR SASCHA OF THE END MARTENS In a paper in Science, the group has recons- As part of a project team, the lab has also tructed the earliest steps in the formation of been awarded a grant by the Aligning autophagosomes. Science across Parkinson’s Initiative (ASAP) to study the mechanism of mitophagy and its involvement in Parkinson’s Disease. MORE MORE CAMPUS CLEAN UP 30kg of garbage were collected and disposed of properly during Vienna BioCenter „Campus Clean Up“. Thanks to the organizers, Climate@MaxPerutzlabs group, and all the participants from IMBA, IMP, GMI and VBCF! [email protected] Want to know more about Sustainability and CO2 Neutrality? GO TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL NEWSLETTER SEPTEMBER - DECEMBER 2020 VIENNA BIOCENTER CORE FACILITIES NEXT GENERATION SEQUENCING SECOND NEXTSEQ SYSTEM The facility has acquired a second NextSeq system which provides the much needed capacity, redundancy and flexibility for sequencing applications. The NextSeq 2000 P2 flowcells corres- pond to the High-Output flowcells of the NextSeq 550 (300-400 million reads) and the kits are available with 100, 200, and 300 cycles. Reads of the NextSeq 2000 are compatible with all other Illumina sequencers. NEW PROMETHION NANOPORE SEQUENCER The second large investment is a PromethION nanopore sequencer provided by Oxford Nano- pore Technologies (ONT). The PromethIon is the high throughput version of the well known MinIon system and delivers up to 100GB of data per flowcell and up to 48 flowcells can be run in parallel combined with ultra-long reads (up to 1Mb). Nanopore sequecing is a major game changer and opens the door for novel applications and protocols. [email protected] NEWSLETTER SEPTEMBER - DECEMBER 2020 VIENNA BIOCENTER CORE FACILITIES <yx PROTEIN TECHNOLOGIES NANOTEMPER PROMETHEUS NT.48 The NanoTemper Prometheus is a multi-purpose, label-free instrument measuring both intrinsic protein fluorescence and scattering while applying a defined temperature profile. Structural changes (folding/unfolding) as well as aggregation can be monitored over time, as a function of temperature, or under different chemical conditions. Since a sensitive fluorescence detection setup is used, only a minute protein sample is needed (>5µg/ml, 10µl). Using the Prometheus as a tool for day-to-day protein quality checks will improve the reproducibility of subsequent experiments that use purified proteins for structural and interaction studies while screening for potential binders can open up subsequent avenues of investigation. CREOPTIXTM WAVEDELTA The CreoptixTM WAVE is a novel, highly sensitive label-free biosensor used to analyze the affinity and kinetics of molecular interactions. Based on Grating Coupled Interferometry technology, the CreoptixTM WAVE provides similar information to the well-known Surface Plasmon Resonance biosensors but with greatly improved features. Combined with user friendly and robust analysis software, the CreoptixTM WAVE is ideal to study many different sample types and systems including those previously inaccessible using conventional biosensors. [email protected] [email protected] NEWSLETTER SEPTEMBER - DECEMBER 2020 VIENNA BIOCENTER CORE FACILITIES ©Max Perutz Labs - buero bauer Artist‘s impression of SARS-CoV-2 binding to the ACE2 receptor on the surface of a human lung cell. A NEW FACILITY: SARS-COV2-SCREENING BUILDING A COVID-19 TESTING INFRASTRUCTURE ON CAMPUS In a collaborative, inter-institutional effort to combat the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus, research institutes at the Vienna BioCenter and the University of Vienna have repurposed existing resources and expertise, and invested in new infrastructure to develop capacities for detecting SARS-CoV-2. The Vienna COVID19 detection initiative (VCDI) promotes a strategy for frequent, large-scale population screening to avoid further lockdowns and damage caused by uncontrolled spreading of the virus through asymptomatic individuals. Almost 1.800 people from all VBC academic institutions and 24 VBC companies participate in the SARS-CoV2-Screening on campus. Since April 2020, a total of approx. 35.000 samples were analysed using a freely available qPCR method. Of these, 79 individuals were tested positive. The commitment of all involved and the cooperation of VBC employees made the VBC a safe workplace and prevented COVID19 cluster formation on campus. Since April 2020, the PCR testing pipeline was in operation and is now integrated as a new service facility within the Vienna BioCenter Core Facilities. Testing capacity is also provided for humanitarian initiatives of broader public interest such as SARS-CoV2 screening at schools and retirement homes. MORE NEWSLETTER SEPTEMBER - DECEMBER 2020 VIENNA